Always and Forever
by tatiana950
Summary: featuring Lily and James in their final year at Hogwarts, both in love but in self-denial until something happens, what can it be?; Sirius in love with himself, Remus the cute werewolf, Peter the filthy stinking rat and Lily's best friend, Kristen Adams.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter I: Time does really pass away

"Do not forget to brush your teeth every single night, if not the Unclean-

Child Eater will come for you, and you know what will happen next, do you not, James Harold, darling? He will eat you up and then –"

"Julianne, dear, James's not a boy, he's already a man, you know…"

"Well, Harold Julius, I am only concerned for his health. I mean, he is not old enough to take care of himself, and thinking of it, we ought to get a tutor and stop him from going to this... this... low-class school! –"

"Mom, you are starting to be very annoying"

"Oh, dear! I never thought my beloved child would ever speak to me in that way! You are so impolite, James Harold. I did not bring you up to be so unrespectful to me, I am ashamed of you." And with that, Julianne Potter turned her back on her son and started crying. James rolled his eyes as his father tried to comfort her.

"Oh, come on, Julianne, he didn't want to hurt you -"

"You are blind, Alastor Julius darling! He loaths me!"

"He does not, dear, you know teenagers are very difficult to handle, and he's just a teenager after all..."

Mrs Potter stopped then crying and she faced her son again, who had been watching the whole scene in disgust, he was starting to get angry...

"So, you OK now, mom?"

"Language, James Harold! You will not say that rude word ever, do you understand me?"

"What did a say wrong, "OK"?"- James yelled.

Julianne Potter shivered but didn't rise. "Alright, let us forget this pointless quarrell, but James Harold, you ought to say something like "are you feeling reasonably well" instead of… of… Do you know what I mean?"- said Julianne matter-of-factly, she took in breath and did not wait for her son's reply- "All these years I have been wondering why you had not a girlfriend, and now it is quite clear to me: no sane girl would ever want to have beside her a rude man. Well, James Harold, let us see if you get this year a girlfriend and become engaged, thus married in Paris next July. Oh! I am going to design the bride's clothes -"

"I thought I was too young, mom"

"Well, yes, of course you are my child, that is why I will live with you and your wife for five years, I will take care of the children if you do not mind, darling. Oh, I do not want any boys, I just want girls, have I made myself clear? And dear, your wife has to be either the cleverest, the most beautiful or the richest in all Hogwarts. Oh, well, Head Girl would be fine too. And James Harold -"

"JAMSIE! WHERE ARE YOU? YOU ARE NOT PLAYING HIDE AND SEEK, ARE YOU OLD BOY?"

Sirius Black was parting the crowd looking for his best friend, James Potter. When he finally spotted him he almost ran away but James pulled him back so he could meet his father and his adorable mother.

"Why, Mr Black, you should be ashamed of yourself, why were you yelling like that?" - Julianne Potter asked to a frightened Sirius Black.

"Well… I'm sorry, m'am, I really am, it's just that I had to find James, you know, we really ought to get on the train as it leaves in ten minutes."- Sirius replied.

"Now, James Harold, why can you not be like your friend? He was so concerned… And you here chatting…"

"Julianne, I think we should leave" Mr. Potter said as he watched Sirius lifting James's luggage and placing it inside the train with his own and coming back for James.

"Well, James Harold dear, take care. Mummy will miss her little Sir Lancelot…"

With that, James's parents got out of platform 9 ¾ to leave King's Cross Station, leaving their son with Sirius. They got on the train and headed for their compartment.

"Tell me, Prongsie, did you enjoy the summer?"

"Are you mad? With that old hag hanging around? She really pisses me off… By the way, did you know I'm Head Boy? Got the letter from Dumbledore just last week, my mother started crying, "Oh James Harold, my beloved child, I'm so proud of you"… She sickens me! She held a party at home because of it, I'd never felt as bored as I was in that lousy party… I wonder who's Head Girl…"

"Hopefully not Meelena McBones, I can't stand her, honestly…"

"Well, I don't think Dumbledore would pick someone as stupid as her, I think she only knows how to count because of her eyelashes… Anyway, she wasn't a Prefect and usually the Heads have been before one, except I, of course. Thank God she wasn't a Prefect, can you imagine her all day long running after me saying that we were the perfect couple and that we should get married -"

"Hey! She told me that too! And I who thought I was someone special, I'm hurt"- Sirius said, pretending to be offended.

"Let's stop talking about her, she makes me want to puke" James said.

"Fine, I can't stand even hearing her name, she has really hurt my poor heart which was filled with true love for her..." James was looking at his best friend, really worried about his sanity. Sirius watched him and sighed. "Well, I suppose I can't fool you, Prongs. Anyway, I don't want you to vomit on me… Geez, I'm tired, let's go and find Remus and Peter.

James Potter and Sirius Black had been best friends since first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, six years before. Both worshipped leaders made friends with Remus Lupin, a sandy-haired boy who was always looking peaky, though quite handsome in a low profile way, and Peter Pettigrew, a chubby friendly fellow who was prone to forgetting where he left his things. They started calling themselves "The Marauders" a week into their first year and began setting jokes on their Slytherin mates. Now in their seventh year, they still were the most popular boys at school.

Both James an Sirius were very tall (6ft 2), very handsome and extremely desirable in Hogwarts. In fact, not a single day passed without a girl telling either James or Sirius –or both- how much she loved him.

"Moony! Peter! How are you guys?"

"Not bad, Padfoot, not bad. I heard you went to Spain over the summer... How many?"- Remus Lupin said, his grey eyes twinkling.

"I didn't only went to Spain, but also to France and Italy…"- Sirius said all dreamy. When he came back to earth, he realized his friends were expecting him to tell them all his summer. "Well, Ok, I'll start with Spain. This country is situated in the South part of Europe, in the North He -"

"Sirius, darling, would you kindly TELL US THE IMPORTANT STUFF!" James yelled.

"Well, Prongsie, old boy, I thought Spain's location would be important. Fine, if you don't think so, I'll start with something else…" Sirius stopped talking to think. " Spain has a fine balmy weather -"

"GET OUT!" James bellowed. Throwing Sirius out of the compartment.

"Ouch, Prongsie, that did hurt! Don't you love me, little Sir Lancelot?"

The compartment door shut and was locked up.

"Oh, Jamsie… Open the door up, pleaseeeeeee!" Sirius barked. Remus started laughing but asked his friend to open the door and let the 'silly bloke' in.

"Alright, you idiot, I'll unlock it, but shut up" James said as he picked up the keys and opened the door letting Sirius in.

"Oh, I'm thankful, how can I ever pay you back for your kindness-

"Shutting up and cleaning my shoes, Padfoot" James said in a good mood.

Everyone bursted into laughs.

"You're a clown James, isn't he Wormtail?" Remus asked.

"Yeah, he surely is. But Padfoot also's one. Why don't you go and join a circus?"

"Haha, very funny Wormtail"

"Well, as Sirius doesn't seem very keen on telling us `bout his summer… Do you know who's Head Girl?"

"No idea. Maybe that Prefect from Ravenclaw, Sarah Summers." Peter said.

"Nah, don't think so, she is too stupid to be Head Girl, I mean, if she's in love with Sirius as we all know she is… She must be really dumb then, isn't that so, Padfoot?" James said merrily.

"Well, Prongsie, you don't need to have much brains to be Head, just look at yourself."

"I am the most responsible guy here and -"

Sirius snorted. "Yeah, sure"

"I AM"

"YOU'RE NOT!"

"Oh, drop it, will you guys?" Peter said as James and Sirius began arguing.

"SHUT UP!" yelled both at the same time.

"Ok, ok, I'll leave you alone. Go on start yelling at each other as if you were insane, well, you already are but -" Peter was interrupted.

"I think you didn't hear me, Wormtail, would you kindly shut up?" James snapped.

"Hey guys, you're not being fun, chill out, ok? C'on, let's start planning a prankfest on the Slytherins" Remus said.

"Yeah, we really should, I would really like to see Snivellus with a pig's snout" James said. Sirius stiffled a laugh and then looked up at his best friend, he couldn't help himself and he bursted out laughing, followed shortly after by James himself.

"Thank God they've stopped arguing." Peter said under his breath.

"WHAT ARE YOU MUTTERING, WORMTAIL?" James bellowed.

"No-nothing, James, I-I was just… saying my prayers, you know my mother's very religious and she forces me to do this eleven times a day" Peter stuttered. Sirius and Remus snorted in disbelief.

"Man, I can't believe this is our last year here… We'll still be together after Hogwarts, won't we?"

"Have no hesitation in that, Padfoot" Remus replied.

"Yes, I agree with you, Sirius" James said as he sighed. "We'll have good memories about our school days, won't we? Oh, Padfoot, I wanted to ask you –"

"I'm all yours, Sir Hector -"

"IT'S SIR LANCELOT!"

"Whatever"

James calmed down. "I meant to ask you if there is any girl left in Hogwarts who has not fallen for you yet?"

"Why Jamsie, of course not… But there's a little weirdo from outer space who hasn't… yet, but it can't be considered as a girl, can it, Jamsie-poo?"

"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT HER! SHE'S THE MOST GORGEOUS GIRL IN THE WORLD, SHE'S THE BEST!" James barked.

"James, calm down, will you? Sirius was only trying to annoy you… and he's done quite a good job, hasn't he? Speaking of which -" Remus turned his head to Sirius who was holding in mid-air a mirror by magic and flexing his muscles, he sighed "- Sirius, really, if you stop showing your body to us I'll be quite grateful, we're not gays…" He sighed and continued to look at his friend who was now trying to make the mirror fall in love with him. "You're a playboy - you even flirt with a mirror…" he added.

"Yes. It's just that every single girl falls for me, and it's logical, as I'm the most handsome, intelligent -"

"You forgot modest, Padfoot" James said.

"Yes, thank you Prongs, and modest in Hogwarts"

"I don't know why I put up with you" James retorted as he opened up a Chocolate frog and ate it.

"Elemental, James, you've fallen in love with me too." James started going red. "See, oh Jamsie dahhhhhling, you're so cute when you blush." Sirius said imitating a girlie giggle.

"I think he's not blushing, he's choked on a Chocolate Frog or something like that and if he doesn't throw it back he'll die" Remus said matter-of- factly.

Sirius patted hardly on James's back and frog leg came out out his mouth jumping. James coughed thoroughly and thanked Sirius. "Well, Prongsie- buddy, you're in life debt with me, will you let me go out with Lily to pay it back?"

Lily Evans was the girl James had fancied since fourth grade but up to the date he hadn't yet managed to get her to go out with him.

"Don't you dare and put a finger on her or you'll have it from me."

"Gone all protective, hasn't he? Really, I'm not going to rape her… she'll do it willingly with me" Sirius said grinning, but this vanished when he saw that James's face was indeed turning into the colour of an overcooked red cabbage. "James, only joking, really; I would never touch her. I appreciate my muscles and face and- well, my life too much to risk it for a single girl. I don't want to be beheaded, you know…" James's face relaxed at this. They all stared through the window for a while. It was their last year at Hogwarts and deep down they knew that the best part of their lives would be over the following summer.

Sirius face turned serious and looked at all of his friends as if they were the most valuable treasure it the world, and for him they were. "I know I repeat myself but I can't believe this is our last year here. I think I'll miss the place, though I won't Potions."

"Yes, it's going to be difficult to leave Hogwarts. I can't believe it either, to me it's like it was yesterday when I met you Sirius, you bumped into me -"

"No, you bumped into me -"

"LEAVE IT!" Remus yelled, starting to get annoyed. They shut up at this, Remus was usually the one who was calm.

"- or when I met Remus, he walked in on me and Hannah Mckay." James continued.

"Do you remember when I met you Peter? You were praying to God, "oh please, I'm very scared, will you protect me? I don't want to be laughed at and I don't want to be beaten up…" Sirius said dreamily.

"Time does really pass away…" James said heavily and began to peer through the window glass again. After a while, he turned his face, with a mischievous glint in his eye, he said "Oh, Padfoot, you do repeat yourself."

Sirius smacked James's arm as they got up, the train had already arrived at Hogwarts. Or that was at least what the boys thought.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter II: Er…

"This is impossible, we can't have arrived" James said.

"Why not? What time is it?" Peter asked.

"We left King's Cross Station only two hours ago. Something must've

happened. I'll go and ask, I'm Head Boy and I've got the right to know, don't you think so, Sirius?"

"Out of my sight."

James smiled and went out of the compartment, he really wanted to know

what was going on. He had always thought he was the centre of the world and it was everyone else's duty to treat him as if he was king.

He walked along the train's corridor for five minutes and then he saw what was happening, well, he imagined what it because the crowd was blocking the way.

"MOVE AWAY! I'M HEAD BOY!" James barked. The crowd parted and then he saw the Slytherin gang, leaded by Lucius Malfoy, beating up somebody.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING, MALFOY?"

"None of your business, Potter" Severus Snape snapped.

"NO ONE ASKED YOU TO TALK. GO AND SELL YOUR GREASE TO THE OIL INDUSTRY, YOU'D BECOME RICH AND YOU'D DO ME A FAVOUR" James bellowed. That did shut Snape up.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here? Potty is Head Boy? Oh, good on you! I knew you had it in you, Potheaded!" said Lucius Malfoy in a sweet but fake way.

"Bet you'd like to be where I am. All the teachers would love you and you actually get loads, no, tons of girls-"

"Oh, yes Potter, I'm green with envy. I would really like to be worshipped by teachers, who would ask for more?" said Malfoy ironically. "I would also love to be in your shoes because all the ugliness of this world has fell for you" Lucius spatted." Oh, get lost Potter, you know Hogwarts's girls are rubbish"

"That includes the only girlfriend you've had, in fact the only one who can stand you, Narcissa Black, doesn't it?"

"Go to hell, Potter" said Bellatrix Black, Narcissa's sister.

"Ladies first"

"Oh, let's get out of here" Snape said.

"Yeah, go but - " James fixed a pixie smile on his face, "don't forget to take with you the grease you've spreaded here, all over the place, Snivellus, I don't want to slip and break my neck and anyway the oil price's raising"

"You won't live enough to-"

"What, you're going to kill me, Snivellus? WOOOOOOO! I'm really scared, I think I've wet my pants."

With that, all the Slytherins left. James went to see the victims. There was a tiny lump on the floor that James supposed to be one person. He bended and realised the lump was just a first-year. She was a little red- head and had bruises a very nasty cut on her lower lip.

"Hey, you Ok?" James asked softly.

The red-head turned her face on him and hugged him tightly around the

waist. Her face did remind him to the one he was crazy for.

"Th-thank you, you saved me…"

James didn't know why, but he didn't pull the little girl apart. She was just demonstrating her gratitude and he felt well liked that. He didn't also know that another red head was watching him in a complete amazement. She didn't give him time to discover that she was there and she siddled into a near compartment staring at him incredously.

"Are you injured or something? If you are I can easily set a prankfest on Malfoy he'll never forget…" James said, making the girl smile. "By the way, what's your name?"

"Oh, I'm Milla Skadi."

"Your name doesn't sound very English…"

"No, I come from Norway but moved here last year with my grandparents."

"How come?" But just as he finished the question he regretted it, Milla started crying. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"My-y pa-parents were murdered by Lord Voldemort"

"Oh, so sorry" James said truthfully and felt silent. "Were they Aurors?" he added as an afterthought.

"No, Death Eaters"

James backed away, terrified, what the heck was he doing comforting the daughter of two of Voldemort's followers?

"My parents were useless to their master, they were quite clumsy and used to ruin all his plans so he disposed of them. My grandparents decided to leave Norway because it was very dangerous to live there with the Death Eaters hanging around and because they were awfully ashamed of their son and daughter-in-law. They wanted me to grow up in a better place" Milla said, still shaken. She looked up at James's face and Knew that he thought that she would turn out to be as her parents. "I usually got beaten up because I thought the thing about blood purity is rubbish and I only cry because when somebody mentions to me the word parent I start thinking about the parents I never had."

James felt immediately ashamed of himself, how could he be so narrow- minded? Especially since one of his best friend was a werewolf and everybody in the magical community despised them and he knew that was not true? How could he be like that when another of his best friends had been brought up in a family who thought all hal-bloods and Muggle-borns didn't desrve to live and he ended up ruunning from his so-called home at the age of sixteen because he couldn't stand his family? "You turn out to be who you want to be, that your parents were in a way or another doesn't mean that you'll be like them" he thought.

"Well, I'm sorry, Milla, it's just that it's dark times we're facing and… um… er… well, you don't really know how trust. Anyway, I'm James Potter and -" Just then two figures appeared.

"James, I thought you were going to find out why did the train stop?" Remus said, watching Milla.

"Oh, guess I didn't. I just came down the corridor and found the Slytherin gang beating up this girl, Milla."

"They stink" said Sirius fiercely

"Yeah, well, we found out what happened, Amos Diggory and Mark Davies put on the engines a Niffler and it ruined the machinery, but I guess that'll be repaired any time now."

"Well, we didn't really find it out, did we Remus, someone did it for us more likely" said Sirius with a huge grin. "The Head Girl told us" Sirius added, grinning even more if that was possible.

"Wouldn't you like to know who she is, Prongs?" Remus said, a pixie smile on his face.

"Who?"

"Your angel love, darling, Lily Evans." Sirius and Remus chorused, singing. Had this been said, the redhead who was spying them blushed completely and closed behind her the compartment door.

"What was that?" James asked.

"No idea."

"It sounded like a door when it's being closed to me" Remus said.

"Guess it doesn't matter." Just then the train began to move at breakneck speed and they all fell with a loud thud to the ground.

"NOOOOOOOOO!" Sirius wailed.

"What's wrong, are you injured?" Remus asked worriedly.

"My bum is, I'll have bruises, that's not fair, how will girls kiss it?"

James and Remus rolled their eyes and got up hoisting Milla to her feet but not helping bum-sored-Sirius. James dusted of his clothes and suddenly remember that there was somebody missing.

"Where's Pete?"

"Oh, the lazy dog didn't want to move his butt and stayed in our compartment"

"I think we should go with him" Remus said and headed off to the compartment followed by Sirius. James stayed to say goodbye to Milla and went after his friends. Milla went in the opposite direction.

As they reached the compartment, the found Peter sleping soundly and muttering things like "He'll pay for all of what he's done to me" and "he's as good as dead", but they thought he was dreaming about Lucius Malfoy and left him to it.

Meanwhile, in another compartment a seventeen year-old girl was talking to another girl of the same age. This girls' names were Lily Evans and Kristen Adams. Lily Evans was slim and petite, only 5'4, with fiery dark red hair and sparkling emerald eyes. On the whole, she was extremely beautiful. The other girl, Kristen Adams, was taller than Lily, with jet-black hair and also green eyes but mingled with grey. She had a hidden beauty, you had to look at her for a while to realize it, and then you would say that she was even more than Lily, though at first sight you wouldn't.

"… and he was there, letting the girl hug him, is that really swollen-head- James Potter?"

"That's weird, Lily. Maybe he's changed during the summer… Don't know." Kristen sighed. "What did you do this summer?"

"Oh! I enjoyed it a lot! Since we're now allowed to do magic out of school and my family, though Muggles, know about magic and stuff, I can perfom charms at home so I spent half of the summer frightening Petunia out of her wits…" Lily said as Kristen began to chuckle. Petunia Evans was Lily's elder sister and since Lily received the letter from Hogwarts, Petunia, who used to be Lily's best friend, turned on her and rebirthed he as 'Freak Thee Useless'. "Did I tell you she's engaged?"

"What? Can anybody stand her? Who's the stupid guy?" Kristed said amazed. She knew only too well Petunia and even though she didn't usually insult anyones's family, Petunia was an exception and as Lily didn't complain, she carried on with it.

The previous summer, Kristen met Lily and her family and Petunia was awful to them, all day trying to make them look like fool when someone came into the house so Kristen hated only too much Petunia. Even if she didn't look like it, Kristen was very proud, so was Lily and that's why the got on so well.

"Actually I wouldn't consider him as a 'guy' more lilkely a bull with a bushy moustache and a wig."

"Pitiful… Is he as dumb as Petunia?"

"Worse, I don't even know how he can stick two words together…"

"I'm sorry for you, Lils." Kristen checked her watch. "We should be arriving any time now."

"Let's change into our school robes, shall we?"

"OK"

They changed their robes silently and sat down again. Kristen peered trough the window and sighed. "It's getting dark… I'm sleepy"

"You're always sleepy, always, you should be called Sleeping Beauty instead of Kristen Adams."

"Ha, ha… Hey, I wanted to ask you, why aren't you in the Heads compartment?"

Lily blushed and began to stutter "I… er… well… er… um… er… I didn't… er… er… er… wanted to leave you alone" she finished.

"Fancy the word 'er', do you?"

"Er… yes."

"Wouldn't it be more likely that you didn't want to go there because of the Marauders?"

"No."

"Sure?"

"Completely"

"Oh, go on, live in self-denial. I know you fancy Peter"

"You stupid git, I don't!"

"Maybe then James, does it ring a bell in your head?" Kristen said making Lily blush.

"And what about you?"

"What about me?"

"Yeah, you do fancy Sirius, don't you?" Lily said grinning. It was now Kristen's turn to blush.

"Er… look, we're getting now to the station, let's go out" Kristen said not meeting Lily's eyes.

The train finally stopped and Lily followed Kristen out of the compartment, a triumphant smile on her face. As they descended the train they saw the horseless carriages and got into one sitting across of each other as they heard the gamekeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, yelling "First-Years' com' over 'ere".

.Before the carriage began to move, however, four people climbed in (A/N: guess who?) and settled themselves at each of the girls sides. James ruffled his hair and asked "You don't mind us here, do you?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty, we're honoured, you don't have to ask if you're allowed, Royal Privileges" Lily said sacarstically. James rolled his eyes while Kristen stiffled a laugh.

Soon enough, the castle came into view and they left the carriages to step into the Great Hall.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! RIEN! NADA!

Chapter III: Head Girl

"Hurry up, man, I'm starving"

"Oh… Stop thinking about your stomach, will you, Sirius?" James spat.

The four legendary Marauders were walking in silence. Sirius was thinking about food and James's head was revolving around Lily, for a change.

"What's wrong, James, you're very quiet. Is it something about a certain redhead?"

"No, Remus, don't be that witty please, I was just thinking about how boring it's going to be this year with being Head Boy and all that…"

"Don't think you'll have a boring year, Jamsie-poo, Lils's Head Girl, so I think she'll liven you up a bit" Remus said grinning.

"Yeah, plenty of action, James."

"Oy, Sirius, will you stop? You're extremely annoying, always talking about the same thing…"

"As if you weren't! The only thing is that when I think about it, I remember it, whereas you can just dream 'cos you've fallen for the most difficult girl in Hogwarts who doesn't give a damn about how you're hair looks like" Sirius spat, leaving Remus mouth-opened.

James, fuming, sat on his usual seat at Gryffindor table and looked at Lily, she was extremely beautiful, he thought, though quite difficult to handle. He sighed and stared at Dumbledore who was standing up to give the usual 'Welcome-to-Hogwarts' talk, or, as Sirius stated, 'The-Long-and-Cruel- Torture-of-Starvation' lecture.

"Welcome to Hogwarts again, or for the first time to the new students, before I finish with the anual lecture of a barmy old man, I'd like to remind to the students that it is strictly forbidden to go near to the peaceful Whomping Willow – "Too right you are!" whispered Davies Gudgeon. He had almost lost an eye when he once came too close to it – and it's also out of bounds the Forbidden Forest, that's why it's called 'Forbidden', obviously" Dumbledore said, looking at Gryffindor table, just exactly were the Marauders were sitting. "This year two balls at least will be held at Hogwarts, though the date hasn't been fixed yet, that's something we'll have to discuss with the Heads of this year.

Speaking of which, I shall introduce them to you, as you should know since the first day of school in front of whom you're not allowed to do anything out of the rules" Dumbledore said while the Great Hall chuckled appreciatively. "To be honest, I don't think this year's Head Boy will mind too much as he's, with his faithful friends, the greatest prankster Hogwarts has ever laid it's eyes on. I really don't know what posessed me to pick him as Head Boy" he then sighed. "So with no further ado, let me announce this year's Head Boy, well-known James Potter!"

The Hall bursted into applausses and catcalls as several Hufflepuff girls pretended to faint as they saw James standing up and bowing – "He's so polite, the perfect gentleman!" whispered Linda Everett to her friend Meeleena McBones, who replied "yeah, and the perfect husband!", they both giggled, said how absolutely adorable he was and fell silent again as Dumbledore tried to speak again. Both of them were big fans of the Marauders and, even if they boys knew that those two girls fancied them a lot, they just took no notice of them, they didn't think anything of what they did would affect them.

How very wrong they were.

James didn't sit down, he wanted to shake the Head Girl's hand, beacause it was the right thing to do and he was never impolite. But he had another reason for wanting to do that, anything to touch Lily Evans.

"Much easier it was to pick this year's Head Girl, outstanding student Lily Evans" Lily got up from her seat and smiled at Dumbledore, then nodded and sat down, she didn't see that James had been standing up for her, in fact, she didn't even notice him.

James, fuming, sat down and looked at his plate, he couldn't think he'd be able to bear the shame.

"And now –"

"ABOUT TIME, THE FOOD!" Sirius roared.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Not yet, Mr Black. Ejem, let's say the sentence again, I liked how it sounded ("barmy old codger" Sirius mumbled). And now, to the Sorting".

Professor McGonagall placed a dirty old frayed hat onto a chair and a rip opened on the hat as if it was a mouth, and it began to sing:

Old and legendary Hogwarts,

Though, why the name?

Four founders, four opinions,

Brave Gryffindor said it was to blame

Not to be called 'Cordis ira'

Sweet Hufflepuff didn't like the name,

But could't think of a fair one

Intelligent Ravenclaw said it was a shame

Not to name it 'Mens Perspicax'

But ambitious Slytherin, who was not tame

Preferred 'Aviditas infinitus'

Thus the first quarrel began

'Twas Hufflepuff who one day cried

And said that she couldn't stand seeing friends arguing

So it was her duty to decide

She then saw a wartshog on the grass,

Clapped her head and said:

'This name's got class'

From then on, the name-fight stopped

And the school was called Hogwarts.

The second and las quarrel came at the end of their lives

The four founders had a secret fear

Who would pick the students into the

Different houses when the wouldn't be here?

'Twas then Gryffindors's moment of glory

Put me off his head

While the others stared

And said:

'We'll charm it and it will decide for us'

Though I haven't got either lace or beads,

You won't ever find another hat as me,

So go on, put me on,

Don't be afraid

I'll look inside your brains and tell you where you belong

Daring Gryffindoor,

Loyal Hufflepuff,

Smart Ravenclaw,

Sly Slytherin you might be

Come on, I've never yet been wrong

For I'm more intelligent than a bumblebee"

"The song gets weirder every year, doesn't it, James?" Remus said.

"Yes it does… It must be a pretty boring life to be useful only once a year, isn't it?" James asked. Remus nodded as the first student, Claire Bellemont, was sorted into Hufflepuff.

The Marauders weren't paying much attention to the Sorting. Remus was as always lost in thought, Peter was cleaning his hands (A/N: so nobody could've then discovered how filthy he was, the ******* rat!), James was too ashamed to speak and Sirius was mumbling and complaining about the Sorting's duration. When it finished, Dumbledore got up again.

"Now that the Sorting's over, I've just got one more thing to say: I'm starving!"

"YEAH, ME TOO!" Sirius yelled. The whole hall turned their heads to him and he shrugged, chuckling to himself. "Geez, I'm hungry."

Just then then food appeared and Sirius's eyes lit up and began wolfing down the bacon that was in front of him.

A few seats away, Lily was talking to her friend.

"Did he? Oh, I didn't notice." Lily said.

"Yeah, he did. Look at him, he isn't drawing any attention to himself! That's a first! God, he must be really embarrassed!" Kristen said grinning. "Well done, Lil!" she added.

"What do you mean by 'well done'?"

"Aren't you a slow one? He's dead arrogant, it's time he takes notice that, unfortunately, he's not the supreme ruler of the universe."

"Oh, right. Guess you're right. But maybe it'd have been a good idea if I'd shaken his hand."

"Oy! What's wrong with you? I thought you hated him! But then again, maybe not" Kristen said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"You're dumb, c'mon, let's stop talking about Potter and get on with the food. Nasty Petunia didn't let me eat during all summer 'cos she took most of the food in the refrigerator to her cozy picnics with Vernon-poo, her fiancé. Bet he ate it all and she spent all the time thinking that he's quite a catch."

"So that's why you look so thin…"

"Blame it on Petunia, filthy old woman."

"Forget her, it's Hogwarts where you are now –"

"For the moment."

"Huh?"

"Well, what am I going to do after I leave school. I can't stand living with Petunia."

"You could live with me at my house and then, when we get hold of enough money, we could look for apartments and rent one."

"Do you think you're parents would agree, I mean, having me there?"

"'Course they would, Lils, my parents adore you. They're always telling me that I should be more like you. I always reply 'no thanks'. And the Adam Manor is way too big, and to be truthful, lonely. It'll be extremely nice having you there. That would make me able to speak to someone not just saying 'lovely dress' and stuff like that all the time due to my mum's lousy parties. Anyway, what do you want to do after leaving school?"

"I don't really know, probably a Healer. And you?"

"I'd like to be an Auror, but Minister for Magic would be OK, too"

"Kristen, you're dead ambitious, why weren't you sorted into Slytherin?"

"Hey, don't insult me!"

"No seriously, you'd have done great there."

"Well, the Hat did really consider putting me there but I suppose that I don't go to any means to achive my purposes and that I have also a little courage inside"

People then were starting to stop eating, and Sirius turned out to be, as usual, the last one to finish his food.

"Man, I'm full"

"How couldn't you be, Sirius, you've eaten but half of Gryffindoor's food" said Remus amusedly.

"Only half? Geez, anybody would think I'm on a diet…"

Dumbledore then stood up, "Now that the excellent food has befuddled us, what would you think about going to you're comfortable beds? Off you trot!"

As everybody got up, Lily began to beckon the Gryffindor's First-Year students. "Right, follow me and James. Try to memorize the way to Gryffindor Tower because I won't be able to be with you always." The First- Years nodded and where about to follow her lead but she stayed rooted to the spot, staring at a tall figure who was ruffling his hair and pinning his Head Boy badge to his chest in front of a pretty blonde. "OY, POTTER, ARE YOU GOING TO HELP ME OR YOU'RE JUST HEAD BOY TO BOAST?" Lily barked.

James wheeled around and went to her, furious. "Who the heck do you think you are?"

"Lily Evans."

"Don't be smart with me"

"That's difficult 'cos probably everybody else looks like a genius to you, being the idiot you are." She said, moving towards Gryffindor Tower. Half of the students were following her. The other half was after James; both packs staring at the Heads torn between amusement and fright.

"Careful Evans"

"What are you going to do? A prankfest? Sorry, I don't know if anyone's told you, but you're not the King of Scotland, so stop acting as if you were. Well, actually, the King of Scotland would be too understandard for you, wouldn't it?"

"Drop it Evans, I really don't want to argue with you."

"May I ask why, Your Majesty?"

James blushed but said nothing, for a while. "Because I'm too tired." Just then they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Password?"

"Latebra latens" Lily said, as the portrait swung and the hole came into view. She with climbed through it, followed by the pack of First-Years and James. He stepped forward and looked at the students.

"Boys left staircase; girls right. You'll find you're bedrooms easily because you're put in with people in your year and anyway there's a label stating you're bedroom" James said.

Boys and girls separated. When James climbed the staircase, he headed to the room he shared with his friends and grinned as he saw that where there should've been a label saying 'Seventh-Years' there was one with the words 'The Mauraders' in gold.

He entered the room and saw that his friends were fast asleep. He was really lucky to have such friends. Even though Remus was extremely quiet and reserved usually to himself, even though Sirius was way too much self- centred, even though Pete was a bit of an oddball, even though all that he knew that none of his friend would ever betray him.

How very wrong he was.

He sighed and climbed onto his four-poster and drew the curtains. He made himself comfortable and just at the same time as he said 'Home at last' another person in the girls' Seventh-Year dorm whispered that too.

A few minutes later, James was dead to the world but Lily wasn't. She was glad to be back at Hogwarts, but she was also way too worried with Voldemort, Petunia, her future, Kristen, her parents, and, even if she didn't want to acknowledge it, there was a nagging voice at the back of her head remembering her that she was also a bit worried about James Potter.

"Why am I worrying about him? He's nobody to me!" she thought.

That wasn't true.

A few minutes later, she fell asleep and started dreaming about a house in a little village surrounded by trees.

A/N: Finally! Yeah, I wrote it! So what do you think? I know, the Sorting's Song is crap but I suck at poetry, as I have well shown. So pleaseee, please review!

DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter IV: Back to normal

"Oy! Kristen! C'mon, wake up you lazy otter!"

"Lazy otter? Lazy otter? What the heck is that, Lils?"

"Shut up and get dressed, we'll be late."

"Want to live up to name, don't you Evans?"

"Did anyone allow you to butt in, Walkner?"

"Don't need your permission."

"The thing is that I don't remember talking to you, due that you're nothing but a blonde airhead (A/N: I'm sorry to all the blondes but I wanted to put her like that, but no harm feelings towards blondes seriously), so would you mind your own business?"

"You're a loser Evans"

"Yeah, precisely: I'm Head Girl, top of the year, I was a Prefect and I got twelve O.W.L.s, ten of which were marked with an 'O' and the rest 'E'."

"Your point being?"

"You're thick"

"You may have done well with you're studies, but you haven't had a boyfriend, never ever"

"The thing is that I'm not a slut, as you are"

"YOU BITCH -"

"No, I'm afraid not, that's what you are and -"

Lily had no time to say what she wanted because just then Mika Walkner got from her bed, raised a fist and closed the distance between it and Lily's jaw.

"DETENTION!"

"Oh yeah?" Walkner said as she was about to punch her again but Kristen stopped her, knocking her to the floor.

"Walkner, go out, now before I make you"

Mika stood on the floor for a second hesitating, but she thought better and decided to leave, closely followed by Amy Blarney who'd been watching the whole scene. But before closing the door, she turned her head to Lily and Kristen.

"Mika's right you're a loser"

"OUT"

The door shut.

"Are you OK, Lils?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Asshole" she said, cluthcing her jaw. "I think I'm going to need an ice pack, but let's go now to breakfast"

They went through the corridors to the Great Hall and had a fast breakfast. Professor McGonagall was handing the timetables.

"Oh! Can you believe our luck? First I get punched, then my teeth hurt like hell and over the furore of all this, we've got Potions today with that foul smelly git."

"Cheer up Lils, we've got before Charms and Defence Against the Dark Arts, that's Ok, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is, but putting Potions last in the evening, on a Friday, and a double period is evil"

"Can't have everything in life. C'mon, if we hurry up we'll be able to sneak up to Madam Pomfrey."

"'K, lest's go."

When they reached the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey, the matron, appeared out of thing air and gave quite a fright to the girls. She healed up her jaw in a second and turned the purple patch back to Lily's complexion but gave her anyway an invisible ice pack so her skin would calm and to prevent people asking why she was using it.

The day passed quickly. Lily was top at Charms and she always got from those lessons extra work. Though it was easy homework usually, she didn't like the fact that she had to spend more time working at Charms than the average.

Unfortunately, as the other lessons passed quite fast, Potions came also quickly. So with a heavy heart Lily and the rest of the Gryffindors headed to their doom.

"To the dungeons now, my fair lady" Kristen said as Lily rolled her eyes.

They entered the dungeon and looked for number seven. Everybody was already in except for the teacher. The Marauders were standing up, 'strutting along' in Kristen's opinion, just next to the door.

"The nasty smelly git is late" Sirius informed.

"The nasty smelly git had some affairs to sort out, Mr Black." Said a voice from behind.

"Er. Oooops?"

"That isn't going to save you, detention and fifty points from Gryffindor"

The dungeon was fulled immediately by boos from Sirius's housemates - including Lily and Kristen - and catcalls from the Slytherins.

"Sirius, leave it, you know he can turn pretty nasty, and anyway he hates the Gryffindors, because even if he does his best to stop us, we always end up winning the Cup, he's bitter, that's all" Remus said reasonably.

Still fuming, Sirius went to his desk and stared at at the Potions Master, Professor Pamplinius, thinking of all the ways to make him pay.

"Today, you'll be breeding the Pumping Draught, that is, of course, if you lot -" Professor Pamplinius said, pointing at the Gryffiondors and glancing at the Marauders -"know what is to breed a potion, which I doubt, seeing as I see - "could be Divination teacher seeing that much" Remus whispered to James. "Yes, and he could also teach me how to get rid of these glasses, cos I see nothing" he replied - "that you're just a bunch of useless oafs" he finished with some grim satisfaction.

All they Gryffindors glared at him while the Slytherins laughed with mirth.

"The ingredients and the instructions are on the blackboard" the Professor said pointing at a small board "Take whatever you need from the Students' Store, because I suppose that some of you couldn't be able to buy some of their own over the summer either because the poor finacial status -" he said, looking at Remus whose cheeks turned pink -" or due to the fact that you're families aren't the most appropiate for having magical offspring" he added with a nasty grin on his face, staring at Lily insolently.

This was too much for her, she got up from her seat, opened the door and went through it, slamming it later. Kristen followed suit. Then James, Sirius and Remus. Later Peter, though unconvinced.

Five minutes later, dungeon number seven held only Slytherin students.

Meanwhile, Lily had gone off to the Astronomy Tower, one of her favourite places at Hogwarts. She usually went there when she was sad, angry, or maybe when she just didn't want to face the world. She had never talked about this liking with anybody, not even Kristen, though she didn't know that she wasn't the only one how liked being there.

She didn't know either that Kristen and the Marauders where looking for her like crazy.

"That's been too much. He's always been taunting Lily about her family, and it's not fair. What if she's a Muggle-born? Who cares? She's not less because of that!" Jame roared.

Kristen was amazed. Is this swollen-head James Potter?, but recovered from it instantly. "Yes, that rat -" Peter fidgeted uncomfortably and Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, calming him down succesfully; thing that Kristen noticed "- has always been a biased Slytherin-lover-bastard, he's always enjoyed laughing at Lily's heritage. But it isn't worth crying over split potion. I suggest we separate and try to find Lily. I'll go to Gryffindor Tower."

"First floor" Remus said.

"Great Hall and grounds. I'll ask Hagrid if he's seen her, too" Sirius stated.

"Third floor" Peter suggested.

"You lazy! There's basically nothing on the third floor! Search also Divination Tower" James bellowed. "I'll do Astronomy Tower and the second floor".

"If we come across a teacher, we'll tell him or her the truth, OK?" Kristen said matter-of-factly.

The boys nodded.

They separated and James headed off to the Astronomy Tower, searching for the lost lily. His lost Lily.

He climbed up the stairs till he got finally to the tower. Without making any noise, he stepped in and watched her. She was on the floor, arms hugging her knees and her face resting on the wall next to the window. Tears were rolling down her cheeks, but she was there as if they didn't exist. James thought he hadn't ever seen anything as beautiful as her in all his life.

James had fancied Lily since first year. He had tried to kiss her several times during that year but he finally gave up due to the slaps he received, which, as Sirius said seriously, would turn permanently his face to the colour of a beetroot.

During second year, he still liked her a lot but pretended as if he didn't, as if to attract her attention. He failed. On third year, he started seeing other girls, though he never quite forgot Lily amidst the snogging with beautiful girls. On fourth and fifth year he decided that he couldn't give up that easily, but then she started acting as if she hated him, especially during their fifth year. Sixth was hell to him because Lily started getting attention from other boys, and even though she paid them no attention whatsoever, James still felt jealous.

And now it was seventh year, their last year at Hogwarts, his last to be with Lily. After that, they will take different paths in life and probably never see each other again.

How very wrong he was, again. (A/N: I like this sentence a lot! Noticed, huh? Anyway, the Marauders aren't very good at Divination, are they?).

He stared at her some more time, looking in a hidden corner at her eyes, so bright green. He thought that they were full of beauty, love, joy, but also fear, dipair, anger, sadness. Very confusing thoughts. He decided to step forward and get to her, because he was no coward and Lily needed a shoulder to cry on.

She heard a noise and wiped the tears off her face. Then she saw it was James Potter, the last person she wanted to see her crying, why though? she thought. A nasty little voice in her head told her the answer: maybe because you care about him and all that. But she told that voice that it wasn't true and put an end to the argument. She was about to get up when James grabbed her hand, stopping her.

"I wouldn't get up if I were you."

"Why?"

"Because I've noticed that that Peeves has left a cube of pink ink and if you get up you'll knock it over."

"Oh, thanks" Lily said not looking at the ceiling as James sat beside her.

"Lils, I really don't know what to say, but it's bloody unfair."

"That's his job, to be a bloody bastard to me." Lily said, her eyes filling with tears again.

"Oh, don't worry. He'll pay back. I'll make him, but please, cheer up" and as he was saying this, he hugged Lily briefly and let her head rest on his shoulder.

After a few minutes in silence, James spoke his mind "Don't misunderstand me, but why did you cry this time? I mean -" James said quickly, looking at the murderous look Lily had "- he's always insulting you and your family, has there been any problem?"

Lily's anger disappeared but it lead a clear way for tears. James, aghast, swore under his breath. "Sorry, none of my business, please, don't cry, I didn't want to hurt you, I'm really sorry, I'm just a half-evolved stupid frog -"

To his surprise and delight, Lily bursted out laughing and James smiled sheepishly. "Ha-half-evolved stupid frog? Where did that came from?"

James blushed like mad.

"Oh, alright, I'll drop it. You've been nice to me so I'll stop my bickering"

She rested her head again in his shoulder and drew breath. "as for your question, I suppose that I'll never get accostumed to having someone insulting restlessly your family. Back to normal." Lily said, with an angry note in her voice.

James had the feeling that she wasn't being quite truthful but he let it go and tried to drown the voice inside his head that was telling him that she hadn't told him the truth because she didn't trust him. He tried to convince himself that she just didn't want to talk. He had to put a great effort on it.

"Why are you being so nice to me, James?"

"I. I." he didn't answer the question, he couldn't tell her the truth. Then again, the nasty voice inside his head spoke that's why she doesn't trust you, because you never talk to her and then, all of the sudden, you're 'Mr Nice Guy' when you're usually stuck snogging girls, it's all your fault.

"I.I."

"Believed I would never ever be able to see a Potter stutter." she sighed but didn't move her head from his shoulder.

James was lost in thought. He had to get going back to Gryffindor Tower. Sirius and Remus were going be terribly worried. Hey, what about Peter? He's changed a lot over these year but not that much! He knew he had to go back and that there could be no more delays.

But then he looked down.

His heart skipped a beat.

Lily was fast asleep.

Just then Sirius appeared out of thin air, a worried look on his face.

"James! We -"

"Shhh! Don't wake her up. I'm fine, she's fine, I'll take her later back"

Sirius disappeared.

James spent a long time gazing at Lily's face, losing the track of time. Later, he checked he time and saw that it was already half past eight. He had to hurry.

She's asleep, I can't wake her up just now.

James stood up and lifted her from the floor in him arms. She stirred a bit but continued sleeping.

She looks like an angel.

He headed to Gryffindor Tower and reached the portrait of the Fat Lady. Before he gave her the password, he woke Lily up and put her to the ground.

"I would've let you sleep, but I had to wake you up because it would be an awkward situation if I took you in my arms into the common room, wouldn't it?"

"Yes, definitely" Lily answered, embarrassesed but a bit happy that James had took her to Gryffindor Tower in his arms. It left her a warm sensation, which was probably going up her cheeks. Then a sudden thought struck her, what if I sleep-talked? Or worse, what if I snored?

Trying to ingore these thoughts, she climbed through the portrait hole, closely followed by James.

The common room was empty, and James regretted not having her still in his arms. But Lily gave him no time to dwell on that.

"Thank you for your company" she tiptoed and kissed his left cheekbone. Then she headed to the girls' staircase.

That was their first true encounter.

James stood rooted to the spot several minutes. When he came back to Earth, he went to the boys' dorms, a goofy grin on his face and laid on bed before falling asleep.

Lily, meanwhile, spent sometime dwelling on her time with James. Why did I kiss him? Why? I must've been so stupid to him. He'll just think of me as some silly girl and he'll just want to take advantage of me! He's just playing on me! How could the best-looking guy ever like me? Forget him, Lils! Hey. did I say he's the best looking guy? And that I had to forget him?

Lily fell asleep, after a long while. She needed to rest.

And she did. She dreamed about James.

Next morning she had forgotten her dream completely but she it had left a mark on her anyway, she was unusally happy. Until-

A/N: So here it goes, fourth chapter. I'm going on holiday the day after tomorrow but I'll try and post the fifth. I'll take my dad's laptop but sadly it hasn't got a net conexion so I won't be able to upload more chapters till September the 2nd, but I promise I'll write a handful of chapters and post them when I get back in one go.

I wanted to explain a couple of things. First: the Potions Master's name, Pamplinius. It comes from an old-fashioned Spanish word, 'pamplinas' which means 'crap, crackpot or nonsense'. I know I'm not very good at inventing names but you'll have to put up with it.

Second, when I wrote that James went for the lost lily, I didn't put the L in capital letters because james was comparing Lily at that moment with a flower, not using her name. So I haven't gone crazy. yet.

Third: thanks to PadfootsGirl! Thank you so much! That was my first review ever! I read your story and left a review too. Could you please rate mine if you've got the time? But I had a problem and I had to remove my story and put it back again. So sorry, could you write some more later, and tell me what do you think of the fourth chapter?

Fourth: PLEASE REVIEW! I WANT OPINIONS: WHAT YOU LIKE WHAT YOU DON'T, DOESN'T MATTER WHAT! JUST THE TRUTH MATTERS!

Fifth: the name Mika Walkner isn't mine. I read it in another fanfic, though I don't remember which. If the author of that name reads this chapter, I'm only borrowing that name cos I couldn't come up with some other name.

Well, I hope I'll enjoy my holidays and that I'll be able to take with me at leat a couple of friends with me.

DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. J'ai rien (is this correct?), ningún personaje sobre el que he escrito me pertenece.


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